Incense Standard Time

One of incense's historical uses is as a clock. Sticks or powdered incense would burn inside elaborate censers, eventually striking a chime or gong to mark minutes, hours, or even days. The practice dates back to 6th Century China, and then later spread eastward to Japan and Korea. According to our pal, incense maker, and historian Hyungi Park, in some extreme cases ropes of incense would be placed between an unlucky soul's toes, and as they burned down he'd absolutely know what time it was. 

We don't recommend this particular historical practice, but we are very keen to introduce the idea of getting off our deeply cursed sense of Industrial Time, and onto Incense Standard Time. 

This incense clock is from the Edo Period in Japan. 

Incense Standard Time is as much a mindset as a practice—a wildly imprecise but deeply soulful way to organize your time. Here's how it works: Set an intention, light a stick, and then follow your path for as long as you notice the incense burning. Don't sneak a peak at your Casio, instead, stick to the stick. Let your senses tell you when you're done. 

Now, when you get cooking with Incense Standard Time, will you absolutely get lost in the novel you're reading and emerge five chapters later engrossed and enriched? You will. Does it mean dinner will be a little late tonight? Yeah maybe, but a full soul beats a full belly, babe. 

Meditaters, ponderers, and devotees of deep reflection are also encouraged to stow all watches, phones, and, uh, those watch phones everybody has, and let the smoke be your guide. It's certainly a different way to experience time, but we think you'll find it freeing, and connects you back to a slower, more intentional pace. 

Trade alerts for alertness, the schedule for the spiritual. 

Welcome to Incense Standard Time.